Mia Luce, Mia Vita, Mia Famiglia
by may-michele
Summary: Follows Feliciano and Lovino's lives from the time they met to present day. Main pairing is Itacest but there is some SpaMano, Chibitalia/Holy Rome. Rating may go up for later chapters.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

I want to thank my lovely beta, virelay~ She's awesome.

Enjoy.

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

**October 18, 1945**

Feliciano was sitting alone on the bench outside of the room where the trials were being held against Ludwig's bosses and leaders. He cringed and occasionally fidgeted every time he heard his former ally clear his throat or cough. He knew that was a nervous habit of his old friend. Well, not so much a friend anymore but Feliciano always had a hard time abandoning people; even if they no longer wanted him around.

The corridor was awfully quiet and Feliciano looked around nervously, feeling the walls cave in. He started to sweat and he loosened his tie slightly. He didn't even know if he should be here right now. The last time Ludwig saw him it didn't go very well, as if the bruised eye and cracked ribs weren't a reminder. He had suffered worse things, he figured.

He stood from the bench and started pacing the corridor, focusing on the paintings and wall decorations. Even the wallpaper. It was beige with peach colored embroidery. The paintings were mostly portraits of people he did not know; they were portraits of older men, some wearing suits and others in military attire. Why was he here again? His pacing turned frantic and his better sense was telling him to leave right now before the meeting let out.

He didn't.

He stopped at a random portrait and started reading the description underneath. He didn't attach his mind to the words. He just wanted to focus on something that wasn't in the room next to him and what would happen when those doors opened. He closed his eyes, trying desperately to push the memory of the past three years out of his mind.

There was a sudden crashing sound from inside, and the doors burst open. Feliciano nearly shrieked in fright when he saw Ludwig stagger out, his hand covering his mouth as if it was to keep words from spilling forth. He hadn't noticed Feliciano standing there yet. He just stood there opposite to him, shaking his head and moving to sit on the bench, slumping forward with his head in his hands.

Feliciano watched this emotional display and took a very small step forward, "Ludwig?" He said his name so softly it might as well have been a whisper, "Buongiorno…Ludwig," he started to stutter and he tried to focus on why he was here again. Why was he here again?

He froze in his place when Ludwig looked up quickly and gave him a glare that was unlike anything he had ever seen. "I thought I told you to never call me that," he said gruffly and controlled, as if those were not the words he had wanted to say. "You don't have the right to be so informal with me, Italy."

Feliciano had expected this, it wasn't so new. He took a step back and gulped, "Dispiace…" He said quietly, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay…"

Ludwig let out a laugh. It was…different. It wasn't a happy laugh nor was it angry and it sent a chill down Feliciano's spine. Ludwig was smiling, too. That was…unnerving for Feliciano considering the circumstances, "Ludw-" he shook his head, "Germany…please…"

He was cut off by Ludwig clearing his throat loudly, "No!" He said it with force but it wasn't threatening, "No, you should just go away, Italy." He didn't look at Feliciano he just stared at his hands. Or was it the floor? Feliciano couldn't tell.

Feliciano nodded and began to turn around, "I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't want this to happen…I really didn't." He stood a little straighter, "I know you don't believe me but…it's true, I'm not a liar."

Ludwig let out a loud scoff. "You…are pathetic, Italy," he said with seriousness, "It is unbelievable how someone with such a rich, strong history can be as weak as you are." Ludwig shook his head, "you're just living off a legacy and it's a waste."

Feliciano bit his lip; it was a nervous habit he had developed since the beginning of the war. Whenever he was angry he would bite his lip. He didn't know why he had the impulsive habit; he only knew that whenever he felt he was going to say something he knew he would regret, he would bite his lip to keep from saying it. He let out a small laugh, no one would ever understand… In response to Ludwig's insult, he merely turned and nodded, "Maybe you're right," he forced out, starting to walk away. "I'll see you around, Germany."

As he walked down the corridor, he was slightly paranoid that the German man would become angry and hurt him like he did the last time. He didn't. Feliciano only heard silence, a deafening silence as he walked towards the exit. Forgiveness was difficult. Feliciano was still having trouble for forgiving Germany, not that his forgiveness really mattered much to the German.

Feliciano also had a hard time forgiving himself. However, in the long run it was the best thing for his people. It took some time before that fact really sunk into Feliciano's mind, but it was. His brother was right.

His brother. Feliciano felt like crying. Ever since the surrender things had been tense between them. Feliciano had been frustrated and upset while Lovino was calm and reserved. It wasn't bad, but the romance they had shared together was damaged. They didn't hold hands. They didn't hug one another. They didn't do anything. They didn't even sleep in the same bed anymore.

Since things had calmed down for them and the country, they had tried repairing the relationship that they had to the way it was. Feliciano felt so horrible, and he kept apologizing to his brother desperately. Every time Lovino told him everything was okay, Feliciano felt like his brother was just trying to hide from everything again. Feliciano tried to talk to him, to help him, but his brother refused to go into it. This only made Feliciano feel guiltier.

Feliciano felt so horrible about everything he began to sleep in the guest bedroom of their home in Roma. Lovino didn't complain about it. He even told Feliciano he was allowed to sleep wherever he wanted as it was their home, and he shouldn't feel compelled to sleep with him. Feliciano didn't like that. He wanted to talk about the war, he wanted to talk about the atrocities and how it hurt his brother almost as much as it hurt him. He wanted to apologize and he wanted Lovino to really hear it. Lovino never wanted to talk about any of it. "It's over, you're safe, we're safe," he would say. "What's done is done, just forget it."

He felt a shudder tear through him at that moment and he winced, leaning against the wall for support. This was normal. Ever since the war started he had been getting battle pains. They weren't so bad in the last few months since the end of the war but his people were still suffering. He didn't sleep well at night and he wasn't eating as well as he used to, both were punishments he felt he deserved. After all he ignored the pain his people were in for years just so that he could restore his country's respect. That turned out to be a joke.

"Sir?" A voice interrupted his thoughts, "Are you alright?" It was the doorman at the entrance.

Feliciano smiled and nodded. "Ah, si, si," he said quickly, straightening out and walking forwards, "just tired and a little hungry is all!" He thanked the man as he opened the door for him and walked out of the building, getting his keys out of his pocket.

It would be a long drive home.

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><p>Feliciano had stopped by their home in Roma to find a note inside an envelope from his brother taped to the front door. He was terrified to see what the letter said but it was only a slip of paper that read, 'At the cottage in Firenze, come by if you want.' Feliciano smiled at that last part. His brother wanted him to come. Sure, he left it open for Feliciano to decide, but Feliciano knew his brother better than that. Then again, Lovi had a talent for throwing curveballs. Feliciano shrugged, it was better to think positive. After all, they hadn't been to that cottage since shortly after their Unification.<p>

That place held the best memories for them both.

Feliciano returned to his car and checked the gas and mileage before heading off again. Firenze was a good four hours away, but he'd drive anywhere as long he knew his fratello was there.

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><p>By the time Feliciano arrived in Firenze it was extremely late. Normally, he would be in bed at this hour. Not that he slept much, but still. When he arrived at the old cottage he felt like he could fall asleep as soon as he parked the car. He stretched after getting out and walked up to the old cottage that he and his brother used to share when they were younger. The grass was freshly cut. Nothing changed. Everything was kept to the way it was. Like it was frozen in time. The only thing that triggered an alarm in Feliciano's head was that his favorite garden was uprooted. All the flowers gone. He tried to push back the feeling of his heart in his throat.<p>

Feliciano tapped on the door before entering the small house, knowing his brother would be in bed by now. He took his jacket off and hung it on the back of the door as he closed it quietly. There was a gentle pressure being applied to his legs and he looked down to see Cameo, their cat, rubbing against him. He smiled, "Buonasera, Cameo," he whispered as he picked her up, "Papa brought you with him, huh? I guess he wants to stay up here for a while."

"Feli."

Feliciano gasped loudly and turned towards the hallway, seeing his brother standing there looking at him. "Fratello! You're still awake at this hour?" He smiled and put Cameo back on the floor. "Are you alright?" He became fearful when he remembered where he went today. He was sort of hoping his brother wouldn't ask about it. He didn't want Lovino to be irritated with him when they were trying to make things better.

Lovino looked tired and worn out. "I was waiting for you," he replied, "I'm…glad you came." He walked over to his brother and pulled him into a gentle hug. "How was the drive?"

Feliciano was almost shocked, his brother had avoided physical contact the last few weeks, and Feliciano was starting to get the feeling like he didn't want him anymore. Regardless, Feliciano fell into the hug, savoring the moment. "It was fine, fratello," he said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around his brother and rubbed his back soothingly. "It was no fun without you."

Lovino chuckled softly, "I got here around eleven in the morning." He added, "There was a lot of cleaning that needed to be done, the grass was overgrown and there were a lot of weeds in your favorite garden."

"Oh…is that why it's torn up?" Feliciano asked, pulling away to look his brother in the eyes.

Lovino nodded. "It wasn't what I wanted to do," he said quietly, his eyes somewhat distant. "I just didn't see any other way around it."

Feliciano smiled and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "That's alright, while I'm up here I can plant a new garden," he said, trying to get his brother to smile. "I'll go down to the village and get some seeds and there will be a new, beautiful garden for us to look at."

Lovino nodded, "That… sounds good, fratello," he said, fatigue evident in his voice as he spoke.

Feliciano faltered slightly when his brother gave him a piercing look, it wasn't harsh, but it was intense. "Cosa? What is it?"

Lovino didn't hesitate or stutter, "You went to the trial today didn't you?" There was no indignation in his voice. It was spoken bluntly and with no malice. It was…empty.

Feliciano's lips trembled slightly and his eyes felt like they would tear up as he nodded. "Si…"

Lovino nodded as if he were answering a question in his own head. "You saw him?"

Another nod.

"Did he hurt you again?" This question had a twinge of threat behind it.

"No, fratello." Feliciano was nervous. There were so many directions this conversation could go. He just hoped it would go toward progress.

Another nod. "Well, I'm going to bed. Today was long for us both."

So much for progress. Feliciano felt like he had been dropped, "Fratello…we need to talk about it…per favore…"

"No." That was that. Lovino reached the hallway and turned to face him. "Soon, fratello, lo prometto," Feliciano nodded quickly and blushed, feeling like a child again. Lovino gestured to the bedroom, "Are you coming to bed?"

Feliciano smiled and nodded, "Si…is it okay if I sleep with you, fratello? I'll sleep on the couch if you want…"

"You're not sleeping on the couch, Feli," Lovino said sternly before smiling softly, "You can sleep with me in our bedroom." Then he added so softly Feliciano could barely hear it, "I never wanted you to sleep anywhere else…"

Feliciano smiled, he felt like they were getting there; maybe not through conversation, but through simple things. Small steps to repairing what, Feliciano felt like, he had broken years ago. He nodded happily and followed his brother into their bedroom, noting once more how nothing in the room had changed. He undressed as his brother climbed into the bed, getting halfway under the covers. Feliciano blushed lightly as he messily folded his clothes on the chair next to the nightstand. They hadn't slept in the same bed since Feliciano moved back into their home in Roma. Feliciano could feel his brother's eyes on him and he felt the blush extend throughout his body.

He approached the bed slowly and climbed in, making sure to keep to his own side and turning over to where his back was facing his brother. "Buonanotte, fratello," he said quietly.

Feliciano gasped quietly when Lovino scooted closer and put an arm around his waist, pulling them closer. "Buonanotte, tesoro," Lovino replied softly, planting a small kiss on Feliciano's shoulder before nuzzling the back of his neck and closing his eyes. "Ti amo."

Feliciano almost let out a quiet sob and turned around, hugging Lovino close. "Anch'io ti amo, caro," he whispered while burying his face in the crook of Lovino's neck. He felt his brother place a small kiss on his forehead before he succumbed to sleep. Things were getting better.

Tomorrow he would replant the garden.

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><p>The story will be broken down into parts which will have 3-4 chapters each. Part 1 covers their lives living with AustriaRoderich.

Italian

**Buon giorno**- good day/hello

**Buona sera**- good evening

**fratello**- brother

**tesoro**- treasure

**caro**- dear/darling

**ti amo**- I love you (romantically)

**anch'io ti amo**- (I love you, too)


	2. Part I: Chapter 1

**Vienna, 1713**

There was a loud crash. "Fratello?" An eight year old Feliciano set his wash cloth in the bucket and ran towards the source of the noise. His brother was cleaning in the room adjacent to him and he feared his brother had tripped or maybe something had fallen on him.

Feliciano ran into the room to see some books on the floor and the book shelf slightly tilted. His brother was standing in the far side corner shaking with an aggravated look on his face, "Are you alright, fratello? What happened?"

Lovino looked at his brother and scowled, "Its n-not my fault the stupid shelf tipped a bit!" He said, his hands shaking, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

This happened quite often. Usually, Feliciano and Lovino would clean together so that they could help one another if there was an accident. Still, no matter how often it happened, Lovino was always insecure about his cleaning abilities. Feliciano thought he saw some tears in his brother's eyes and smiled brightly in order to calm him, "It's okay! I'll help you fix it!"

Lovino's scowl didn't falter, but his tone did, "O-okay, dammit," he muttered under his breath, "Just don't tell anyone, per favore…"

Feliciano smiled, "Of course I won't." Same old conversation and agreement as always. They had known each other for a while after Roma passed away but only as acquaintances. Since Roderich's boss had taken control over their lands they were within each other's company more often. Feliciano didn't complain, after all he had not even learned of his brother's real name yet. He only knew him as Romano. He was too shy to ask his real name as the older boy didn't seem to be interested in being around him at all.

It didn't bother Feliciano, he was just happy to have someone that was connected to him. Not all countries were lucky to have that. He was glad to be spending this time with his fratello even if they were just earning their keep by doing manual labor.

Speaking of which, Roderich had been the very strict boss lately. They were lucky that they got to clean together at all. Feliciano only hoped that neither he nor his brother would be placed in that cell again.

Together, they helped each other clean the mess and finished their chores without anyone knowing the incident occurred. Unfortunately, Feliciano wasn't around when the second incident occurred a few days later.

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><p>"This is unacceptable!" The loud roar of the Austrian man echoed through the mansion, "You are incredibly useless and unmanageable!" His loud voice betrayed no anger in his mood, "You are always defiant and always lazing about!"<p>

In the kitchen, some meters away, Feliciano looked up from his sweeping and then to Elizabeta, who was preparing the kitchen for dinner, "Ms. Hungary? Who is he talking to?"

Elizabeta looked up, "Well," she said softly, "It sounds like it was coming from the piano room, your brother was cleaning in there last I saw him…or at least trying to."

Feliciano gave her a concerned glance, "Is it okay if I go check on him?"

Elizabeta stopped her preparing and looked at him, "I'm sorry, darling," she said sorrowfully, "I don't think that is a good idea, he sounds pretty angry."

Feliciano looked towards the piano room and continued his sweeping, resisting the urge to run towards the room. He hoped his fratello wasn't being treated too horribly.

A few minutes later, Feliciano heard footsteps coming towards them. He looked up, still sweeping, and saw his brother walking in front of Roderich, a subdued but defiant look on his face. Their eyes met for a brief moment and Feliciano smiled, "Ciao fratello!"

Lovino looked at him but said nothing. Roderich, however, scolded Feliciano, "Keep working or you'll join your brother."

Feliciano flinched at the tone, "Where are you taking him?"

Roderich gave him a piercing look and then looked at Elizabeta, "Take Romano down to the cell," he said sternly, "I need to have a word with Feliciano for a moment." He then grabbed Lovino's collar a little roughly and forced him to gaze at his face, "You behave for her or I will know about it, you'll be wishing I l had left you in that God forsaken region of your country."

Lovino looked as if he would spit in the man's face but he scowled silently instead, glaring.

Elizabeta nodded and smiled, "Yes, I will," she said, walking over and draping her arm around Lovino's shoulder, "Come on now," she said kindly as they started to walk away, speaking to him and urging him to talk to her.

Feliciano watched as Elizabeta walked away with his fratello, feeling sad that his brother was being sent to the cell for something remedial as not getting a chore done. Or at least he thought that was what it was. His thoughts were interrupted when Roderich cleared his throat to get his attention. Feliciano looked at him with wide eyes, "Si, sir?"

Roderich gestured towards the hallway, "Come to the piano room, I have to show you something."

Feliciano nodded and set his broom down, following the man. He kept in mind to pick his feet up as he walked behind him because he did not want the man to scold him for shuffling his heels like he often did. When they reached the room, Roderich pushed the door open and gestured for Feliciano to look inside.

When Feliciano peered into the room, he gasped. The room looked like chaos. There was water splashed everywhere. The bucket was tipped on its side and the washcloth was on the piano, sitting on the strings. The book shelf wasn't tipped but many books had been piled on the floor off of the shelf. Some piles were tipped over and one book was opened with a page ripped in half. Feliciano wondered how his brother could have done this…

"You're brother is a hectic, useless, trouble maker, Italy," Roderich said sternly, gazing at the room calmly, "I'm just pleased that you are not half as bad." He walked over to the piano and removed the washcloth, "However you are going to have to clean up after your brother," he said, "Quite literally, in fact."

Feliciano looked down and nodded, "Yes sir," he mumbled.

Roderich walked over and put the washcloth in Feliciano's hands, "Just make sure to make the room spotless," he ordered, "After you finish you may rest for the night, Ms. Hungary will call you down for dinner." Roderich gave Feliciano a small pat on the shoulder as he began to walk out.

"What about fratello?" Feliciano asked without thinking, "I mean…will he get to eat dinner today?"

Roderich stopped and turned to face him, "Do you remember getting meals when you were locked in the cell for misbehaving?" Feliciano shook his head solemnly and Roderich replied, "Then that is your answer." The subject was dropped and Feliciano was left to clean the mess his brother had made.

However, as he was cleaning, Feliciano came to the conclusion that Lovino could not and would not do something like this on purpose.

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><p>Feliciano sat at the dinner table, trying not to scarf his food down too quickly. He noticed the empty spot at the head of the table with the food still on it, "Who is that for? Fratello?"<p>

Roderich sighed, irritated, "Italy, what did we discuss earlier today?"

Feliciano shrugged, "I thought maybe you had changed your mind…"

Roderich continued eating, "Well, I did not," he said curtly, "The meal is for Holy Rome should he show up tonight."

Feliciano's eyes widened and he secretly hoped that Holy Rome didn't show up, the young nation frightened him nowadays. He was always staring at him fiercely with his piercing blue eyes. Feliciano shuddered, "Scusi…" he said as he continued eating, "Ms. Hungary, is this your dish?" He asked with a smile.

Elizabeta nodded with a bright smile, "Yes, it is," she said, "It's chicken paprikash, very good for a growing young boy like yourself."

Feliciano took another bite, "It's very delicious!"

Roderich sighed, "Italy, please eat in silence," he said sternly, "No more talk tonight." Before the room was filled with silence, Roderich looked at over at Elizabeta, "However, Italy is correct in saying that this food is very delicious, thank you Elizabeta."

Feliciano looked at Roderich in shock when he said her name. He had always known Roderich to be very strict and business like with other countries, never personal. Elizabeta blushed and thanked him softly. Despite this shock, Feliciano's concern was on his brother. He was all alone in that cell, and probably really hungry.

He was _really_ hoping Holy Rome would not show up tonight.

Two hours after dinner had passed; Feliciano was awake in his bed waiting for things to settle. Holy Rome did not show up as expected and Feliciano saw this as an opportunity to help his brother. He looked at the bed next to his and wished his brother were in the room with him. Since they had been reunited after his grandfather's passing, he was the only connection he had left. Although his brother was very aggressive, Feliciano saw through it. His brother was just scared.

Which was why he needed to go to him now.

He slipped from the bed quietly and fluffed one of his bigger pillows, tucking it under the sheets to give off an illusion that he was still in bed. Once he finished, he headed for the door. Peeking out into the hallway for any sign of movement or activity, Feliciano slowly exited the room and closed the door quietly. He quickly made his way to the kitchen where Holy Rome's meal was covered in a silver dish to keep it warm incase he arrived late.

Feliciano lifted the lid carefully to reveal the untouched chicken paprikash. He hoped that his plan would work out, if not, then he would deal with the consequences later. He grabbed the plate and quietly made his way towards the cellar.

He wished he would have slipped on some shoes before he left because his feet were cold once he entered the cellar. "Fratello?" He whispered, "Are you asleep? Where are you?"

A tired whisper came from the cell to Feliciano's right, "Veneziano?"

Feliciano smiled and turned towards the voice, "Which cell are you in fratello?"

There was a light tapping on the second door and Feliciano walked over and kneeled down, placing the food down on the floor and lifting the small hatch to see his brother, "Are you okay, fratello?"

Lovino looked like he had not gotten any rest and his eyes looked like he had been crying for hours, "Where've you been, Veneziano?" He asked roughly, "I've been alone in here for hours... "

Feliciano smiled, "I brought you some food, fratello," he said as he lifted the plate, "I don't think I can fit the plate through here so I'm going to give the food to you piece by piece."

Lovino nodded and shifted to get closer to the door, remaining silent. Feliciano picked up a fork off of the plate and cut a piece of the chicken, slipping it through the hatch to give to his brother. Lovino took the piece of chicken and sniffed it first before chewing it, "It's not that bad," he said softly, "Grazie, Veneziano."

Feliciano smiled, "Prego, fratello," he said as he cut another piece, "I saw the piano room," he said softly, "I had to clean it up, what happened fratello?"

Lovino scowled, "It wasn't my fault!" He said, trying to keep his voice down, "I tripped…and I couldn't control my arms anymore…" He bit into another piece of the chicken and his stomach growled loudly in appreciation, "I...can't control it…it happens even when I'm not working…" He choked, "I…took the books off the shelf because I wanted to dust underneath so that bastard wouldn't scold me for not cleaning well enough…"

Feliciano nodded, believing his brother was telling the truth, "I believe you, fratello," he said as he cut another piece, "Mr. Austria thinks you did it on purpose…"

Lovino huffed, "I'd do a lot more than trash his stupid piano room, Veneziano," he said with a growl, "We both know I'm not that stupid though…"

Feliciano smiled at his brother's small bluff, "Just eat, fratello," he said softly, "It'll be okay at least we're together now."

Lovino huffed again, "Si, whatever," he responded, "I wish things were back to the way they used to be…back when we were free."

Feliciano paused at that. When they were free they didn't really spend a lot of time together. Mostly it was just Lovino staying in his own region and Feliciano staying in his. Once Austria took over, they were both forced into each other's company. Feliciano wasn't complaining, but Lovino seemed to be. Feliciano shrugged and handed another piece of chicken to his brother, "It doesn't matter now, fratello," he said, "I'm glad to be getting to know you at least."

Lovino ate his piece quickly, "What is it with you and us being together Veneziano?" he asked skeptically, "I mean, Nonno Roma never really wanted us to be around one another and now you're all happy like we've always known each other…I don't understand it…"

Feliciano looked at him sadly through the hatch, "I'm just happy that even though Nonno Roma's gone, I still have you," he said with a twinge of sadness in his voice, "Sometimes I hate Nonno for separating us," he muttered softly.

"What?"

Feliciano shook his head, "Nothing, fratello," he responded, "Here, almost finished," he gave the last few pieces of chicken to his brother and set the plate down, "Do…you want me to stay for a while? I don't mind…"

Lovino shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me," he said, "If you get in trouble it's not my problem."

Feliciano smiled, each day he was discovering more things about the brother he had never met. He ended up staying down in the cell for two hours just talking with his brother about their grandfather and their different regions.

"Is Pompeii really that big of a city?" Feliciano asked excitedly.

Lovino huffed, "Well, it's not really much of a city anymore but yeah," he said, yawning, "I hear you can get lost very easily in there, they'll unearth all of it soon…but not now."

"That story was amazing fratello," he said, "I'd like to see it one day…I bet that mountain is pretty scary to look at after all of that power."

Lovino just nodded and closed his eyes, "Si," he responded, "Hey, Veneziano…what's your real name?"

Feliciano blushed and he didn't know why. His brother just asked for his personal name…he smiled brightly, "It's…it's Feliciano," he said, "That's the name Nonno Roma gave to me…it's supposed to mean happiness…"

Lovino hummed in thought, "Mine's Lovino…" he said, "It…pretty much means ruin…"

Feliciano smiled wryly, "I think it's a nice name," he commented.

Lovino scowled, "No it's not," he said, "I'm…clumsy and always mess things up, you're perfect…always the favorite."

Feliciano frowned, "That's not true," he said, "I'm not perfect and it's not your fault you're clumsy…"

Lovino sighed, "Feliciano…can I call you Feli sometimes?"

Feliciano smiled, "You can call me whatever you want, fratello."

Feliciano wasn't quite sure, but he thought he saw a small smile on Lovino's face, "Okay," Lovino said, "You better get out of here before you get caught, that tall lady told me the bastard may let me out tomorrow."

Feliciano pouted, "But I don't want to leave you here…"

"Don't be stupid, I'll be fine," he responded, "Just go! I can take care of myself!"

Feliciano frowned and shifted, "If he doesn't let you out, I'll still see you tomorrow," he said as he closed the hatch, cutting himself away from his brother's sight. He picked up the plate and began to walk away. He was almost to the door when he heard a sound.

"Feli?" It was Lovino.

"Si? Fratello?"

"Grazie, for the food," he whispered, "Buona notte."

Feliciano smiled brightly, "Buona notte, Lovi."

With that, he left the cellar and headed for the kitchen. He smiled on the way there, _'Fratello asked for my name,'_ he thought, _'Maybe he doesn't actually dislike me…' _Feliciano felt giddy with excitement remembering the stories his brother told of Napoli and Pompeii. He couldn't wait to hear more and tell his brother his own stories.

He entered the kitchen and was about to place the empty plate on the counter top when Feliciano stopped dead in his tracks.

There, standing in the kitchen, was Holy Rome.

Feliciano gasped in fear and almost dropped the plate. Holy Rome was staring at him with those piercing blue eyes, "Was that my dinner, Italy?"

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><p><strong>Italian<strong>

fratello- brother

prego- You're welcome

grazie- Thank you

buona notte- good night

ciao- hello/goodbye

per favore- please


	3. Part I: Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you all so much for the kind reviews! I appreciate every single one and I'm sorry I have not replied to them individually! I just fixed my settings so that I'm alerted when I get them OTL Regardless, I'm really happy you're enjoying the story so far!

Thanks again to my lovely beta, virelay~

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia.

Enjoy!

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><p>Feliciano was terrified. Holy Rome stared at him with that piercing look it was almost as if he was looking right through him. He would certainly be in big trouble now. He felt scared as he started thinking about the punishment…then he realized his brother would probably be in big trouble, too. Feliciano racked his brain trying to think of an excuse.<p>

"I-I'm so sorry!" He said in a desperate whisper, "I w-was hungry in the middle of the night and just wanted to eat. I didn't think you'd be coming home so I didn't want to waste it, and I'm sorry I'm so sorr-"

"Italy," the strong voice interrupted Feliciano's long apology. "It's alright," he let out a soft chuckle, "I don't care much for that dish anyway." Holy Rome cleared his throat and looked away, regaining his stoic look, "You don't have to apologize."

Feliciano breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh…" he said meekly, fidgeting in his place, "How did you know what it was?"

Holy Rome smiled, "Hungary told me she would prepare it for me when I returned home," he said, "I didn't have the heart to tell her I did not like it." He looked Feli in the eye, "I was actually going to give it to you anyway, so I'm glad you were one step ahead of me." He paused and gave Feliciano a reassuring smile, "Just don't tell her I said that, I don't want her to get angry or heartbroken."

Feliciano felt guilty for taking the food all of a sudden, "Oh…I'm sorry, I didn't know…"He blushed, '_It was really kind of Holy Rome to think like that for Ms. Hungary though…'_

Feliciano looked up to find Holy Rome right in front of him taking the plate away and setting it aside, "It's alright, Italy," he said with a stern tone, "As I said, I was going to give it to you anyway."

His eyes were serious and Feliciano felt like he could get lost in them so he looked away out of fear, "Grazie…" He was shaking slightly, not sure what to do. He wanted to run from him but he was scared of what might happen if he did. Would he be dragged away again? He didn't want to know…so he stayed still.

"Italy?" Holy Rome's voice was gentle this time, almost kind.

"S-si?"

"Are you alright?" He asked, "You seem troubled…"

Feliciano shook his head, "I'm fine…" he answered, not looking at him, "I'm…I'm going to head back to bed, I'm tired…"

Holy Rome nodded, "Si, go on then." Then his voice went back to being serious, "I won't keep you." He moved away from Feliciano to allow him to pass.

Feliciano smiled softly and nodded in thanks as he started down the hallway towards his room.

"Although I do have one question…" Holy Rome said loudly and sternly, causing Feliciano to stop in his tracks.

Feliciano turned and looked at Holy Rome with an anxious tremble in his eyes, "S-si?"

Holy Rome's eyes studied Feliciano carefully, "Why were you walking from the cellar with your food?"

Feliciano gulped and he felt so nervous his hands shook, he grabbed them and held them tight, "I…I was just eating and taking a look around…" he lied, "It's…a very beautiful mansion…when you're not cleaning it all day…" He put his hand over his mouth, he had hoped that didn't sound like he was complaining…or that he had already been caught lying.

Holy Rome nodded, "I see," he said as he walked over towards Italy once more, stopping five feet from him. His voice became softer, "You know," to Feliciano, he almost sounded sad, "I could have given you a much more beautiful mansion if you had joined me when I asked." He looked at Feliciano in the eyes sadly, "Things…didn't have to be this way, Italy."

Italy wasn't worried about his lie anymore. His brother being locked in a cell was far from Holy Rome's mind. However, he wasn't out of the dark yet. He looked at Holy Rome and gulped, trying to keep his voice steady, "I already told you," he whispered blankly, as if he were tired of saying it, "I can't…"

Holy Rome took in a frustrated breath, "I'll never understand why you wouldn't want to reclaim your birthright!" He nearly shouted. Feliciano was scared that Roderich would wake up. "You…have so much to offer to the world, Italy," Holy Rome said quietly, "So much beauty and you allow it to be controlled by someone else…"

Feliciano felt some kind of anger, but he quelled it. "But…you want to control me, too, right?" He said carefully, trying not to sound too accusing, "Everyone wants to control me…no one wants me to be independent and on my own…"

Holy Rome moved so fast. In one swift motion he was right next to Feliciano. Feliciano tensed as Holy Rome put a hand on his shoulder, "I do not wish to _control_ you Italy," he said desperately with a pained look in his eyes, "I only wish…" he struggled with what he wanted to say and backed away from Italy, "I only wish to…" A blush crept across his face and he shook his head, "Never mind, Italy, I'm sorry to have kept you from going to bed."

Feliciano was half curious about what Holy Rome wanted to say and the other half just wanted to run away, "Cosa…? What are you-"

Holy Rome interrupted him, "You've obviously had a long day," he said, "I won't keep you any longer," he walked away, down the hall to his own room, "Buonanotte, Italy," he said without turning back.

Feliciano was left in the hallway alone with confusing, curious thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>The next morning, during Roderich's morning meeting<strong>

"Romano," Roderich stated sternly, "You're going to be cleaning with Ms. Hungary today; she's going to keep an eye on you."

Lovino didn't say anything; he just nodded and looked away from the man. He quickly gave Feliciano a glance when the man walked out of the room, "Where are you cleaning today?" He whispered.

Feliciano wasn't expecting his brother to talk to him once there daily morning meeting was over, they usually just went right to business, "Huh?" he said, "Oh, I'm cleaning the sitting room this morning and if I finish early I was going to work outside since the weather's nice, where are you cleaning?"

Lovino shrugged, "I wouldn't know," he huffed, "Where ever the tall lady wants to clean."

Ms. Hungary butted in, "Tall lady has a name, darling," she said sweetly with an underlying hint of sarcasm, "It's Ms. Hungary," she smiled at Romano and gave him a pat on the nose with her finger, "And we're cleaning the kitchen and foyer areas today so be ready to mop!"

Lovino groaned and looked at Feliciano, "Ciao, Vene," he said as he walked away with Ms. Hungary to the foyer.

Feliciano smiled wryly, feeling a bit hurt that his brother didn't use his real name, "Ciao, fratello," he responded, "Have a good day."

Feliciano was busy trying to get the lint out of the carpet in Roderich's sitting room. He didn't have anything to pick it up with so he was using an old hair brush and a fork. He started getting frustrated with the task when he heard a knock on the front door. Thankful for the distraction, he habitually grabbed his wash cloth and ran to the nearest door so he could peek to see who it was without giving himself away. He opened the door slightly and peered through the crack.

He watched as Ms. Hungary opened the front door to reveal Spain, who was smiling brightly as he bowed his head, "Ah, good morning, signora," he said with his thick Spanish accent, "Is Austria busy? I would like to just have a word with him about a few things, if that's alright?"

Feliciano smiled. He had not seen Antonio in a long time so it was nice to see a familiar face. He wondered why he was here to speak to Roderich…the last he heard, the two did not get along very well. Or maybe that was just their bosses…

Ms. Hungary allowed him inside, "Wait here," she said curtly as she walked away, obviously not pleased to see him.

Feliciano watched Antonio smile happily and nodded as he waited in the foyer. Feliciano kept his wash cloth in his hand and started to clean a spot absent-mindedly. He had already polished the silverware and dusted the furniture. He just wanted to make himself look busy in case he was caught. Every now and then he would look up to see Antonio just glancing around the room. Feliciano ducked as Antonio's eyes passed over the small crack in the door.

Antonio looked as if he was about to walk over to wear Feliciano was spying but Roderich's voice echoed through the foyer, "Spain," he greeted, "What can I do for you on this unannounced visit?" Feliciano let out a sigh of relief.

Antonio looked at his old friend and smiled, "I just wanted to come by and see how the two little ones are doing," he said, stealing a glance at the sitting room, "They are like little brothers to me and I miss seeing them lately. I need something to cheer me up, old friend."

Roderich glared slightly, "No, they are busy cleaning," he said curtly, "I don't want you distracting them."

Feliciano pouted, he was looking forward to spending time with Antonio…at least tell him hello.

Antonio faltered slightly, "Oh, I see," he said, "You have them cleaning for you? Are they any good at it? They seem quite young to be doing those kinds of chores."

Roderich did not stutter, "They can manage," he said, "And don't play cute, I know why you're here."

Feliciano peered closer into the crack in the door, curious as to where this conversation was heading.

Antonio bristled slightly, "What are you getting at?"

Roderich gave the man a piercing look and spoke sternly, "I am managing their lands and their property," he said, "You are not taking them nor will you give me any problems concerning them, they are mine."

Feliciano's bottom lip trembled; Antonio wouldn't try to own them like everyone else…would he?

Antonio was silent for a moment before speaking sternly as well, "Shall we speak of this in private?" he asked.

"No," Roderich said bluntly, "As far as I'm concerned this conversation is over, you may leave."

Antonio looked like a ticking time bomb but he kept his calm stature, "Well," he said in a controlled voice, "If you ever need any assistance with them, I'd be glad to help. I have known them much longer than you have, and that goes beyond the boys in general."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm just saying, old friend," Spain said blankly, "I've known them since they were born, history, people, and all, so if you need any assistance with their finances or politics, let me know."

Roderich seemed to pause but he turned around to head back to his study, "I'll keep that in mind."

Feliciano looked confused, _'What does that mean?'_ he thought as he peered through the crack to see what would happen next. He watched as Antonio turned to head out the door but stopped, looking over where Feliciano was peering through the crack. Feliciano's eyes went wide and he quickly raced away from the door.

He heard a small laugh from the Spaniard before he heard the front door open, "Adios, little one," Antonio said as the door slammed shut. Feliciano ran towards the window and looked out to see Antonio briskly walking down the dirt road leading to the mansion.

Feliciano watched Antonio with a sinking feeling in his gut. He didn't know what it meant, but he felt disgruntled at the thought of other nations trying to claim their own knowledge about him.

After all, he knew himself better than anyone.

* * *

><p><strong>Later that night<strong>

After they had their dinner, Feliciano and Lovino climbed into their beds to go to sleep, "How was your day, fratello?" Feliciano asked habitually.

Lovino shrugged as he lay down on his pillow, "Okay, I guess," he replied, "What about you, Feli?"

Feliciano smiled, "You said my name."

"Of course I did, stupid," Lovino responded.

Feliciano's eyes widened, _'I said that out loud?'_ He gave a laugh, "Scusi...I was just surprised, that's all."

Lovino quirked an eyebrow, "You're strange," he said, shaking his head, "I can't believe someone like you is my little brother."

Feliciano shrunk back at that comment, not sure what to say, "Dispiace…fratello…"

Lovino sighed, "I didn't mean it to like that, fratello," he said, ending the subject, "I almost knocked over a vase today."

Feliciano looked at him, "Ms. Hungary helped you?"

Lovino nodded, "Si, she didn't yell at me or anything, but she did tell me to be more careful."

Feliciano smiled, "Ms. Hungary's really nice."

"Yeah, whatever," Lovino said as he rolled over and blew out his candle, "Buonanotte, Feli."

Feliciano smiled as he turned over and blew out his candle as well, "Buonanotte, fratello." He heard Lovino grunt in reply and smiled, "Fratello?"

"What?"

"Spain came over today."

"Who?"

Feliciano chuckled, "You know, Spain," he said, "Antonio, he visited today."

"Oh…" Lovino said, "That bastard? What did he want?"

"He was asking Mr. Austria about lending assistance with us," Feliciano said unsurely.

Lovino sat up quickly, "He what? No way is that Spanish bastard having anything to do with us, too?"

Feliciano's eyes widened at the outburst, "Shh! Fratello…we'll get in trouble."

Lovino huffed and fell back on the bed in a defiant manner, "Hmph! I don't want anything to do with that bastard…"

Feliciano gave his brother a concerning glance, "Why do you hate him so much?"

Lovino shrugged, "I don't know, I just do."

"I don't think he's bad," Feliciano said thoughtfully, "Living with Spain probably wouldn't be as bad as living here…he might let us be more free, he even asked Mr. Austria why we're doing chores…"

Lovino shook his head, "Non lo so, Feli," Lovino said, "I just don't want to be under anyone's control anymore…"

Feliciano nodded, "Si…"

Lovino smiled, "When I grow up, I want to be my own nation!"

Feliciano smiled at that, "What will you call yourself?"

"I don't know," Lovino replied, shrugging, "What would you call yourself?"

Feliciano shrugged, "Nonno Roma kept calling me Italia…so I guess I would stick with that…"

Lovino scowled, "You should think of something better."

Feliciano smiled, "It's okay," he said softly, "I don't mind that name, fratello."

"Hmph, whatever, Feli," Lovino said with a loud yawn, "One day we'll both become strong nations and we'll be allies so no one can pick on us!"

Feliciano smiled, "Si…that would be nice," he said. He actually really liked that dream. It would be just him and his brother as allies, strong, and independent. Feliciano frowned when he realized that dream was a long way off if at all possible.

"What do you mean, 'it would be nice?'" Lovino asked incredulously, "It would be fucking great!"

Feliciano flinched, "Fratello…don't swear…"

Lovino wrinkled his nose, "But don't you think that would be really great, fratello?"

"Si, of course I do…" he said defensively, "I just…don't think we should get too ahead of ourselves while we're still so young…"

Lovino huffed and turned away from him, "No wonder why you're so easily taken over," he said coldly, "You don't have any backbone, Vene."

Feliciano looked at his brother with a sad look in his eyes. For some reason, hearing Holy Rome's almost exact words hurt worse coming from his brother. He sighed and rolled over, tearing up, "Dispiace…after Nonno died…I just don't want to be like that…"

"Be like what?"

"A bully…"

He heard Lovino turn over, "You won't be a bully, Feli," he said, encouragement in his voice, "You'll just be you, by yourself, no conquering, nothing."

Feliciano blinked thoughtfully but was saddened at the thought of being alone, "Si…I guess you're right, fratello."

Lovino smiled, "Of course I'm right," he said with a happy tone, "I am your big brother, after all!"

Feliciano turned over to face his brother, "What if other nations try to bully us again?"

Lovino smirked, "Then we'll beat 'em up! Nothing will happen to us as long we protect each other!"

Feliciano smiled brightly, "Okay, fratello," he said with all the hope he could muster.

Lovino nodded and curled back into the covers, giving Feliciano a warm smile, "As long as we stick together, we can make it happen, Feli, lo prometto."

Feliciano kept that smile in his memory. His brother had never smiled at him like that before. He smiled and closed his eyes, "Ti voglio bene, fratello."

Lovino was already asleep.

* * *

><p>The next day, Feliciano was sweeping in the hallway when he heard Elizabeta and Roderich talking in the piano room. They were speaking softly to one another so Feliciano could not make out their entire conversation. Every now and then he heard his brother's name mentioned. Occasionally he heard Antonio's name thrown in the conversation. He wondered if it was connected to the previous day when Antonio came to visit.<p>

Then they started talking about a wedding. Feliciano wanted to hear more but their voices became so soft that he had to strain to hear. Soon, it had become so silent that Feliciano was curious so he walked over the room and leaned in to see through the partially open door.

His eyes widened. Roderich was kissing Elizabeta. His left hand was cupping her cheek and his right hand was grasping her left hand, his thumb massaging her palm. Elizabeta looked really content and peaceful.

Feliciano blushed at the sight when Elizabeta pulled herself closer to Roderich as she deepened the kiss. Feliciano took that moment to lean away from the sight and smile, picking up his broom and continuing to sweep happily.

He let them have their moment.

For the rest of the day, Feliciano cleaned while entertaining thoughts of sharing a moment like that with someone special to him.

Wherever they were.

* * *

><p><strong>Italian<strong>

Buona notte- good night

Dispiace- Sorry

Non lo so- I don't know

Lo prometto- I promise

Ti voglio bene- I love you (for family, friends)

_Thanks for reading~_


	4. Part I: Chapter 3

"Hey, fratello?" Feliciano asked as they swept outside on the veranda. The day was so beautiful and cool. It was hard for the two of them to not sit and relax.

"Cosa?" Lovino was just passing the broom over random areas, not really concentrating on getting the job done.

"Have you ever kissed anyone?"

Lovino ran his broom into a chair, "C-cosa?!"

Feliciano looked up from his sweeping, "Have you ever-"

"I heard what you said!" Lovino picked the chair up from off the ground.

Feliciano looked confused, "Then why did you-"

"Why would you ask me that?!" Lovino was as red as a tomato.

Feliciano shrugged innocently, "Just curious, I guess…so…have you?"

"No!" Lovino said quickly, "I mean…once…but it was on the cheek!"

Feliciano shook his head, "No, fratello," he said, "I mean here," he put his index finger on his lips.

Lovino turned red again, "No…I haven't."

"Oh…neither have I." Feliciano continued sweeping.

There was silence for a few moments but there was tension in the air as if an unasked question was hanging over their heads. Lovino kept sweeping but occasionally stealing glances at his brother. Was it really that bad if he hadn't kissed someone yet? He sighed irritably and asked, "It can't be that big of a deal right?" There was a soft and worried tone to his voice.

Feliciano looked at his brother, "What? Kissing? I don't know," he said, "It looks like it'd be really nice."

"'Looks like?'" Lovino said, "What do you mean, have you seen people kissing?!"

Feliciano blushed slightly, "Si," he said, "I saw Ms. Hungary and Mr. Austria kissing in the piano room yesterday."

Lovino made a sound of disgust, "Gross!" he nearly shouted, "Why would you watch something like that?!"

"I didn't watch it, fratello," Feliciano said defensively, "I just saw it! I looked away after five seconds!"

Lovino rolled his eyes, "You still watched it for five seconds Feliciano!"

Feliciano shrugged, "It doesn't matter, I didn't think it was that bad," he said softly, "It just seemed…nice."

Lovino scowled but said nothing.

"You don't want to kiss someone, fratello?"

Lovino sighed, "I don't know, Feli…"

Feliciano stopped sweeping, "What do you mean?"

"I never really thought about it!"

"Okay," Feliciano said, "Would you want to kiss someone in the future?"

Lovino blushed, sweeping faster, "I don't…maybe…I don't know…" he swept the dirt into the grass, "Why do you want to know, anyway?"

"Just curious, I guess," Feliciano responded as he swept his dirt into the dustpan.

"What about you, then?"

Feliciano smiled softly, "Si, I would like to, one day."

Lovino made a grimacing look that was betrayed by the look in his eyes, "You're such a stupid romantic, fratellino." He didn't say it with malice, more like a teasing observation.

Feliciano blushed, "Maybe," he said, "But it gives me something to look forward to I guess."

Lovino smirked, "I guess you're right," he said, "I would like to kiss a lot of pretty girls one day!"

Feliciano gave him a bewildered look, "I don't think that's how it works, fratello…"

Lovino looked at him critically, "How would you know?" he asked angrily.

Feliciano turned to face him, "I think in order for it to be special you have to kiss someone you really love," he said sincerely, "If it's with someone you don't care about then…it just seems meaningless."

Lovino stared at his little brother, "What if…what if the person you kiss doesn't really love you though?"

Feliciano looked away and out onto the veranda, "I think…I think we would know something like that…it's kind of like a conscience telling you to stop."

Lovino shook his head, not putting in faith in it. After all, he wasn't good at knowing those kinds of things. He didn't even trust other people. "I don't know, fratello," he said, "Some people are really good liars, what if it's already stolen by the time we realize it?"

Feliciano smiled, "That's why there are second chances."

Lovino thought about it for a moment and very briefly, a small smile curved at his lips.

Maybe it would be a nice thing to look forward to. One day.

**A few days later**

"Where are we going Ms. Hungary?" Feliciano asked curiously as a few carriages were being loaded with suitcases.

Elizabeta smiled brightly at him, "A place you'll be familiar with," she said, "Mr. Austria's boss gave him some time to relax from work so we're going to his little home in Florence."

Feliciano eyes brightened, "Firenze!" he said excitedly and turned to his brother who looked stoic about the whole thing, "Oh fratello I've got so much to show you! The Ponte Vecchio, Dante Alighieri's house...even though he did write a scary book, Michelangelo's statues-"

"Okay, Vene!" Lovino said, "You can show me, just…as long as it's not too boring!"

Roderich walked outside with them and cleared his throat, "Is everyone ready?" he asked, "The trip will take most of the day so I hope you have everything you need."

Feliciano was excited, "Si! Si! I'm ready! Oh can I sit with my fratello?"

Roderich fixed his glasses, "I don't see why not," he said, stepping into the carriage, "As long as you two behave."

Feliciano smiled brightly and jumped as he ran to the carriage, "Yay! We get to sit next to each other, fratello!"

Lovino groaned, "I really hope you're not like this the whole way there, Vene…." He said as they climbed into the carriage.

Once the carriages started moving, Feliciano started excitedly explaining everything about Florence. The art, the buildings, the churches, even the food. "It's so pretty there!" he said, "You can go shopping on this bridge and look at the water, even though it's not too pretty…" He smiled, "Then there's a big piazza with a nice church and statues!" He looked out the window, "Michelangelo lived in Firenze! He was really good at sculpting!"

Lovino rolled his eyes, "Vene…"

"Oh! And Dante Alighieri lived in Firenze, too! He was good at politics….his book was kind of scary but he was a really nice man!" Feliciano just kept on rambling, occasionally looking out the window, excited to see the first few signs of the Italian border.

Roderich smiled and looked at Elizabeta, "He'd be a great tour guide," he mumbled to her while Feliciano continued to speak.

Elizabeta smiled and nodded, "Don't even get him started on Venice," she said.

Roderich let out a soft laugh and turned his attention back to Feliciano who was trying to explain to his brother the art of sculpting.

Lovino looked like he was being tortured, "Fratello can't you just enjoy the ride in silence?"

"But I'm so excited!"

Feliciano talked about Florence, and things related to Florence, for five full hours. Some scenes resulted in Lovino shouting, "You're going to make me sick of Florence by the time we get there!" and Feliciano smiling energetically retorting, "Nope! You'll fall in love no matter what!"

Eventually, the two brothers went to sleep, Feliciano's head resting on his brother's shoulder and Lovino's head resting on Feliciano's head. Roderich shook his head at the sight and turned to Elizabeta, "At least they get along somewhat," he said, "It would be horrible to have them fighting the whole way there."

Elizabeta smiled, "I think they're just so glad to have each other after everything that they've been through." She gasped slightly, realizing what she said, "Not that you're not taking good care of them, dear!"

Roderich looked at her thoughtfully, "They have a roof over their heads, they're fed every night, and they sleep in warm beds, most countries don't even have that luxury, Elizabeta."

She nodded, "I know," she said with a soft smile, "But what if they want to be on their own one day?"

Roderich hummed in thought, "Well, when they get older," he said, "I guess if they wanted to live elsewhere it wouldn't be a problem, as long as they are aware that they are still under my control."

Elizabeta frowned, "You wouldn't let them be completely free?"

Roderich gave her a stern look, "If my bosses want me to fight for land then I will fight, that is all I can do."

Elizabeta looked at the two sleeping boys and sighed, "As long as they have each other," she said.

The rest of the trip went by silently and eventually, Roderich and Elizabeta went to sleep as well.

In the late morning hours, they woke up in Florence.

Once they were settled in Roderich's small country home, Feliciano and Lovino waited for instructions. Roderich looked at them and smiled softly, "Since the trip was quite long I won't give you boys any work to do so feel free to roam wherever you like," he said, "Just make sure you're back by early evening."

Feliciano smiled, "Si!"

Once they were dismissed, Lovino sighed, "Where do you want to go, Feli?"

Feliciano smiled, "I was thinking we could walk around here!" he said, "We could just go for a little walk and come back!"

Lovino nodded, "That sounds okay," he said, "Let's pack some food in case we get hungry, si?"

Feliciano nodded, "Si, got it!"

In ten minutes they had packed a small basket with two panini and some biscotti. Feliciano walked over to where Elizabeta was relaxing in a chair reading a book, "We're going to go for a little walk Ms. Hungary, we'll be right back!"

Elizabeta smiled, "Be careful, you two."

The brothers made their way out of the house and began walking down the dirt path. Feliciano held the small basket and walked with a bounce in his step. "I'm so happy you get to see part of my land fratello!" he said, "What do you think of it so far?"

Lovino shrugged, "It's alright I guess." Secretly, Lovino thought the land was beautiful. The mountainous terrains, the trees, fields of flowers, even the occasional house made the landscape look beautiful. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was cloudless; overall, Lovino thought it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen besides Sicilia.

Feliciano beamed up at him, "I'm so glad!"

The first ten minutes of their walk was mostly spent in silence and Lovino was shocked at his brother being so quiet. He stole an occasional glance to see his brother apparently lost in thought and gazing around. There was a small smile that somewhat reached his eyes but not quite. It was as if he knew that his time in Firenze would not last and he was depressed at the thought of returning to Vienna. Then again it was pure speculation. Nevertheless, Lovino felt pulled by his fratello's expression, "Fratello?"

Feliciano was snapped out of his gaze, "Si?"

Lovino smiled and shook his head, "Never mind," he responded. Up ahead, they were coming upon a small cottage, "Hey, look at that, Feli."

"Wow," Feliciano said, gazing at the house, "It looks old…" They stopped in front of it and stared. Feliciano noted the garden holding nothing but weeds and overgrown grass. The dirt path leading to the cottage had the occasional flower patch and was fading due to it not being used. "I wonder if anyone still lives here…"

Lovino smirked playfully, "Let's go check it out!"

Feliciano became anxious, "We shouldn't, fratello! It doesn't belong to us!"

Lovino ran up to the front door, "Don't be scared, Feli!" He whispered as he tapped on the door.

Feliciano stood in his place, "Fratello….I don't like this…"

Lovino looked back at him and smiled, "Fine, be a baby," he said teasingly as he opened the door, "I'll go check it out, maybe it's haunted!"

Feliciano shook his head, "No! Don't!" He watched as Lovino stepped inside the cottage and disappeared from his sight. He stood anxiously at the start of the path and looked around. Suddenly, the world became scarier. The sounds were amplified and even though everything seemed normal, Feliciano felt like he was the only one on the planet.

Hesitantly, he took small steps towards the cottage, "F-fratello?" No answer. He inched closer and closer to the open door and very cautiously stepped into the threshold, "Lovi?" He looked around to see any sign of his brother and walked inside. He could hear his own breathing and the creaking of the wood floor. He let out a little sigh of relief, it really wasn't that bad. The sun shone through the window over one of the counters of the kitchen area and there was a small sitting room with a fireplace right next to it.

He was so caught up admiring the interior when Lovino snuck up to his left, "Got ya!" Lovino shouted.

Feliciano screamed and dropped the basket, covering his face, "No! Fratello…"

Lovino laughed and picked up the basket, "You're too easy, Feli," he said with a smile, "Come on, no one's here, let's look around."

Feliciano gave Lovino a pitiful look and placed his hand on his chest to feel his heart racing, "You scared me, Lovi…"

Lovino smiled as they walked to the hallway, "I know," he replied, "Hey look here's a bedroom." Lovino walked inside with Feliciano following shortly after him.

There was a bed right in the middle that still had sheets on it. The sheets looked a little dirty and worn and Feliciano noted the designs on the fabric. He looked the sheets over and traced the patterns, "I remember seeing sheets like these back during the Renaissance," he said, in awe, "This house must have been here for a long time."

Lovino walked over to the window, "Yeah, the windows are really dirty and everything's dusty," he said, "That bastard, Austria, would have a heart attack if he found this place."

Feliciano nodded absent-mindedly and walked out of the bedroom, "Oh look fratello, here's a wash room," he said as he peered inside.

Lovino followed and looked over Feliciano's shoulder, "Could use a new tub," he said with a grimace on his face, "That one's probably infested with bugs."

Feliciano shuddered and walked down the hallway to find another room that had a desk and a small book shelf. The desk had nothing on it and the book shelf only had three books piled on it. Feliciano figured the cottage must have belonged to a writer or an artist. Politicians tended to live in more populated areas. This led Feliciano to conclude that no one lived here. A thought that kind of inspired him.

Lovino's voice broke the silence, "It's kind of boring," he sighed, "There's nothing else here."

Feliciano nodded, "It is nice and simple, though," he said thoughtfully.

Lovino shrugged, "It's alright."

Feliciano walked back down the hall and into the kitchen/sitting area, "We could clean it," he suggested, feeling hopeful, "Make it look brand new."

Lovino gave him an odd look, "What's the point? We're not going to be here-" he began to ask and then stopped when he realized, "W-wait…you're not saying you want to live here, are you?"

Feliciano shrugged sheepishly, "Well," he said, "If Mr. Austria comes out here often and brings us along we could always visit this place…it could be like a second home."

Lovino shook his head, "You're dreaming, Feli," he said, grabbing his brother's arm and leading him out, "This place will most likely get torn down or someone else will live in it."

Feliciano nodded, feeling shot down, "Si," he said, "You're probably right." Feliciano didn't believe his own words. Somehow, he felt compelled to stay in the little cottage. It already felt like a home to him.

As they walked out, Feliciano looked at the small weed infested garden, "I could probably plant a small garden right here," he said, pointing to it. He looked down the path and noticed more homes lining up the farther the road stretched, "I bet there's a village not too far from here, too."

Lovino shook his head and grabbed his brother's hand, "Let's go find someplace to eat, fratello," he said, "I think you're getting your hopes too high."

"But, fratello," Feliciano said, "Wouldn't it be nice to have our own home where we could live?"

Lovino sighed, "Si, Feli, it would," he said, "But we can't."

"Why not?"

"Because we're not free," Lovino said bluntly, almost harshly, "Maybe one day, but not now."

Feliciano frowned and looked back at the cottage, "I think it's perfect," he said as it disappeared from sight.

Lovino laughed, "You were terrified of it ten minutes ago and now you don't want to leave it."

Feliciano shrugged, "Well, after looking around it didn't seem like anyone had lived there in the last few years so…"

Lovino interrupted him, "Hey, look at that spot up there," he said, pointing to an area with two laurel trees looking over the edge of a hill.

Feliciano's eyes glinted, "It's perfect for a picnic!" When they reached the spot, they looked down at the terrain. All the way down they saw numerous trees and plants. The roads weaved through like a paintbrush stroke and the occasional house accented the green landscape. Feliciano smiled, "Cosi bella…"

Lovino was too awestruck by the sight to waive it off, "Si…"

Once they came out of their stupor they sat down and began to eat. Feliciano looked at his brother, "So, fratello," he began, "If Mr. Austria brings us back here, can we go back to the cottage?"

Lovino rolled his eyes, "I told you, Feli," he said, "We can't."

"It's not like we're going to stay there forever, fratello," Feliciano said, taking a bite out of his panino.

"But, what if someone moves into it?"

Feliciano shrugged, "Then it wasn't meant to be, I guess."

Lovino looked at him, amused, "You're really stuck on that place, huh?" He sighed, "Fine, we can go back, but we need to replace some of the things in there, like the sheets," he grimaced, "They're probably infested with bugs along with that tub."

Feliciano smiled, excited at the thought of having their own place, even if it didn't technically belong to them. "You'll see, fratello," he said, "Once we clean it, you won't want to leave."

Lovino chuckled, "Anything's better than where we are now."

They finished their lunch in silence and looked out over the hill. Feliciano had never felt so happy before. He had only had these moments to himself before moving in Roderich's home. He glanced over at his fratello and smiled, "You know fratello," he said, "We may not be free…but I'm glad that we're living with Mr. Austria."

Lovino gave him a confused look, "Why do you say that?"

"Because if we hadn't been taken over," he bit his lip and he didn't know why he was nervous, "I wouldn't have met you."

Lovino stared at his brother for the longest time before smiling, "I'm glad to have met you, too, Feliciano."

Feliciano smiled and grabbed his brother's hand before staring out at the landscape again. He didn't know about Lovino, but he prayed for many more of these moments even if it meant he couldn't be free ever again.


	5. Part I: Chapter 4

Feli stood off to the side next to Austria. His eyes were burning and his face felt itchy because of the streaks of tears staining his face. Nervously, he wiped his cheeks and sniffled.

Lovi was being taken away.

Being taken away to live with Spain.

Feli sniffled again as Lovi's bags were placed on the veranda to be put in the carriage.

Lovi should have tried to do better at cleaning. He could hear himself scolding his older brother in his head. He should have been nicer. He should have behaved better. He should have been more respectful. Feli would have been happy to help him out…

None of that would have helped now, though. Feli was resigned to accept it.

But it didn't mean he had to be emotionless about it.

Hesitantly, he looked up at Austria and tugged his sleeve, "Please…not my big brother…"

Austria did not spare Feli a glance, "It is only politics, you know better."

Dejected, Feli looked away and did not bother to hide his sorrow for the rest of the day.

He didn't even get to see Lovi before he left.

Feli wasn't sure what was more upsetting. The idea of his brother being taken away from him was horrible enough. Then, they wouldn't let him hug or kiss his brother goodbye. Ms. Hungary told him later that she and Mr. Austria agreed that it would be easier for Feli to not dwell on Lovi's departure.

They told him that Lovi would not be leaving for a few more days. When Feli noticed the luggage in the foyer, he panicked and ran outside to see the carriage partially loaded and Lovi had jumped in one with Spain close behind.

It made Feli wonder how Lovi felt about it all. Was he upset, too? Did he put up a fuss?

Judging by how quickly Lovi jumped in the carriage, Feli could not see it happening. His demeanor did not look upset or morose about leaving Austria. After all, Feli knew that Lovi hated it here.

But what about their brotherly connection? Lovi was generally kind to him but those moments were few and far between. He knew that Lovi did not despise him but he had a funny way of showing how much he appreciated Feli's presence. Considering his behavior, Feli figured Lovi would not be horribly upset at being away from him.

And he was right.

But not completely.

Lovi did not like waking up early. At all.

In fact, he made a show about how much he hated it. He didn't make his bed, he didn't put on his nice clothes nor did he bother greeting anyone that passed him (except for Ms. Hungary because she was scary).

He knew he was being taken away to that stupid Spanish bastard's home. Though he wasn't exactly thrilled about it living in Spain he was relieved to know he was going back to familiarity in their tastes for food. The food in Austria was so disgusting that he had to imagine the taste of fresh tomatoes just to stomach it.

Lovi imagined that it would be a grand exit. Maybe some nice farewells from the house staff or a farewell breakfast from Ms. Hungary. She did make the best breakfasts!

However, his expectations were shot down when he entered the kitchen to find it spick and span and not smelling of recently cooked food. He pushed back his disappointed feeling and entered the foyer where he was instructed to go earlier this morning.

Spain and Austria were there waiting. Lovi could hear them speaking quietly about the agreements they had recently made. Lovi sighed, politics once more. He scowled gently when the two nations did not acknowledge his presence right away. So, he cleared his throat loudly, his green eyes burning with a faux rage.

They both turned their attention to him. Austria looked irritated while Spain smiled, "Good morning, Romano!" He said in that stupid, cheerful voice of his, "I hope you are ready for a long trip. It will take a few days to get back to my home from here."

Lovi scoffed at the use of his nation name. Then again, Feli and grandpa Rome only used his human name. He decided to keep it that way. "Pfft! Stupid bastard…" he mumbled, "I refuse to sit in _your_ carriage! I will ride in my own!"

Spain chuckled abashedly, "Well, Romano, you see," he started, "There are only two carriages, one for you and I and the other for your…luggage..." He cast a surprised glance at the massive amount of luggage the house staff had brought out, "Dios…you have your whole life in there, I bet!"

Lovi scowled, not amused by the prospect of sharing a carriage with Spain. "Stupid jerk! Not even bringing enough carriages…" he pointed at him accusingly, "I better have my own room in your stupid place, then!"

This banter went on for most of the morning while the house staff loaded Lovi's luggage in the carriage. Meanwhile, Lovi wondered where Feli was. It was unusual not to start the day off with him. He felt a tad guilty when he didn't notice Feli's absence in their shared room this morning.

Where was Feli?

Spain opened up one of the carriage doors. Probably the one they were going to be sharing, "Hop in, Romano."

Lovi started to say something like, "I want to tell Feli goodbye," or "Wait, let me find my brother,"; but all that came out was a scowl and, "Don't tell me what to do!" As he walked to the side and fumbled in, energetically refusing Spain's help to hoist him inside.

Once he was seated on the comfortable padded seats, he looked out the window and saw Feli being brought out by Ms. Hungary. He was about to open the door and shout his farewell when Spain climbed inside and sat on the opposite side, "We are ready to go!"

Lovi stammered, "But…they're not even finished loading my things!" He glared, "You jerk! They better be taking my stuff!"

Spain laughed, "Don't worry, Romano," he said as their carriage started moving, "They'll finish loading soon and once they do, they'll be following us shortly. They won't be but ten minutes behind us."

Lovi made an annoyed noise and sat back against the seat, casting a glance outside the window.

He regretted it.

He thought he didn't care about leaving. He thought he didn't really care about his stupid little brother. He thought that the death of his distant grandfather wasn't nearly as tragic as his faded attachment to him.

He was wrong.

Because seeing Feli crying over his departure was probably the worst thing he witnessed in his young life.


	6. Part II: Chapter 1

It had been six months since Lovi had left to go live in –and with- Spain. There was not much of a difference in Feli's daily activities but one thing that Feli had noticed was that the house was certainly quieter and cleaner without Lovi's constant ranting and knocking things over.

Still, he missed his older brother and even though they hadn't been able to be around each other for very long, he enjoyed the time he was able to spend with him.

Feli stopped mercilessly scrubbing the floor to take a few deep breaths. Since Lovi was gone, there was no one that Feli could talk to about his day. Ms. Hungary wasn't so bad…but she wasn't his family. For six months worth of bad days and many bad dreams, Feli had learned to adjust his frustrations by taking deep breaths in between chores.

As well as painting a lot.

He was nearly finished sweeping the veranda by the time the afternoon began to segue into the evening. He took the handkerchief wrapped around his head and wiped some sweat from his forehead. The summer days seemed to last forever here but it was much colder than his homeland.

He missed it so much. He missed his grandfather. He missed his brother.

Sighing, he picked up the dustpan and carried it and the broom inside before the sunset. He wasn't interested in watching a sunset that compared little to the ones he was so used to.

And Feli refused to let himself become adjusted to the new one.

* * *

><p>Lovi yawned as he lounged lazily on the large armchair in the sitting room of Spain's luxurious mansion. He found the setting and atmosphere much more relaxing here than in Austria. In fact, Lovi was so relaxed and content that he hardly remembered the bland landscape at all.<p>

Still, Spain did not hold a candle to his Roma, Napoli, Capri…anywhere in his own home!

Well, at least Spain had tomatoes.

Spain also had a tomato garden on his land. Lovi was quite pleased with that though he would never admit it. On the days where Lovi decided not to lounge around all day, he would be there in the garden either picking ripe tomatoes or watering the vines.

It certainly stayed quiet for the most part. Despite his fading memory of his brief time in Austria, the memories with his little brother had not gone away. He wasn't sure if he appreciated the memories or not. Sitting alone in the little garden reminded him too much of being alone in the capital when his grandfather took Feli and left.

Those memories were more than vivid.

He had known of Feli's existence for as long as Feli had been alive. He remembered the day when his grandfather introduced a newly born Feli to him shortly after he had returned home from one of his visits in the north of the land. Lovi remembered being excited at first. Having a little brother seemed fun. His grandfather didn't look too pleased but reminded Lovi that he was fortunate to have a blood relative nation. Even if they were not fully related. Lovi always helped to take care of his little brother when his grandfather was away. He was finally starting to feel like he was something, no…_someone_ in the grand scheme of things.

Then the most poignant memory of all was when Rome took Feli, his little brother away and stayed away himself.

Leaving him alone with faux leaders and horrible bosses and only sparing one or two visits every two years. Not even a messenger to send for word on how he was doing. And whenever Rome did visit he only sang praises about his little brother.

Lovi resented it. He was part of Rome's family, too…but all he was a name. It wouldn't be until many centuries later that Lovi realized that he was more upset at being robbed of his brotherly duty to Feli than the notion that his grandfather abandoned him in the capital.

When Rome faded out of existence, Lovi hated himself for crying and being sad about it. He tried to tell himself that it was because there was no way he could protect himself but the reality was that he really missed his grandfather.

After all, before Feli came into the world he had had some pleasant and fun memories with the older nation. He wondered why they couldn't share those memories as a family.

As much as he tried, he could never resent his grandfather.

His tears turned into worry for Feli. What would happen to him now that Rome was gone? He knew that his own government was in turmoil as leaders scrambled to save a nation that was already dead. Nations that were their enemies or territories now reclaimed their lands and swarmed in.

It was terrifying. Lovi was only a child. A naïve, scared child. These people, these humans and nations, were mean and cold. The ones that he trusted only disappointed him and the ones that didn't did nothing at all.

He watched the capital become a wasteland. He cried as the once proud monuments and buildings became ruins. Citizens even destroyed part of the Coliseum to make houses and complexes near the area.

By the time he was taken by Austria, he couldn't remember what Rome looked like anymore.

When he was brought to Austria's home, he was led into an intricate room that had a plethora of books. He was directed to sit down in a large armchair facing a desk. At this desk, sat a clean and pale gentleman with glasses and neat hair. As Lovi rounded the chair to sit, he saw Feli sitting in the chair opposite to him.

He saw Feli's eyes light up, "Oh! You're my big brother?"

So he remembered nothing of him. Why did it hurt worse than everything else he had recently gone through? Lovi glared and scoffed at him, "That's impossible…you're too stupid to be related to me…" It was an empty insult but one that he noticed still hurt his brother's feelings. He was full of too much pride to apologize, so he turned away.

Feli reached out to him, "But-"

The man at the desk interrupted, "You two can become reacquainted at another time," he said in a distinct tone and strange accent, "My name is Roderich Edelstein, however, you may call me Mr. Austria."

Lovi scowled again. He was in Germanic territory. Wonderful.

He didn't listen too much as Austria explained why he was taking care of the two brothers. He grew bored after Austria's introduction. Lovi figured this would be his life from now on. Passed down to different nations until he became nothing just like his grandfather.

Well, he'd have to rise to his grandfather's level before that would happen. That seemed about as likely as potatoes becoming his favorite food over tomatoes.

Lovi sighed, this was his, no, their life now. Survival was all that mattered.

He was secretly relieved that he would be able to take care of his little brother again.

But of course, he would never admit that.

By the time the sun had set on the Spanish horizon, he had picked three baskets worth of tomatoes and told Spain the only reason his sleeves were wet was because a stupid squirrel had nearly pushed him into a fountain.

Not because he was crying.


End file.
